Afghan commander says he'll cooperate with inquiry

By PAULINE JELINEK | November 14, 2012 | 9:34 PM EST

FILE- In this March 26, 2012, file photo, Marine Gen. John Allen, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan listens during a news conference at the Pentagon. When Defense Secretary Leon Panetta pointedly warned young troops last spring to mind their ways, he may have been lecturing the wrong audience. The culture of military misconduct starts at the top. At least five current and former U.S. general officers have been reprimanded or investigated for possible misconduct in the past two weeks _ a startling run of embarrassment for a military whose stock among Americans rose so high during a decade of war that its leaders seemed almost untouchable. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — After two days of silence, the top general in Afghanistan says he will "fully cooperate" with the investigation ordered into communications he had with a Tampa socialite at the center of the military's sex scandal.

Marine Corps Gen. John Allen released a statement through his lawyer Wednesday night saying he'll cooperate and that he instructed his staff to do the same.

The lawyer, Col. John G. Baker, says Allen wants questions in the probe resolved as quickly and completely as possible.

The Pentagon inspector general is looking into emails exchanged between Allen and Jill Kelley. The inquiry came after Kelley complained about another matter — emails sent to her by the woman identified as the mistress of former CIA Director David Petraeus.